Track device for automatic train control



W. M. BECK TRACK DEVICE FORWAUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL July 17,1923. 1,461,792

Filed March 12, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 vvillimm DYE .3607? July 17,1923.

W. M. BECK TRACK DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL Filed Max ch 12, 192; I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 In van/Z719 Willia m M Beck;

Patented July 17, 1923.

UMTED stares rarest series.

WILLIAM M, BECK, or ELWOOD, INDIANA,

TRACK DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL.

Application filed March 12, 1923. Serial No. 624,321,

This invention relates to track devices for cooperation with suitable devices carried by av train toantomaticallystop the train in time'to prevent collisions and damages.

The object of the intention is to provide a trip-device that may beoperatively connected'with the wires or rod-s as the case may-be, used" in block andother signaling devices whereby the trip'will be set to actuate a train device simultaneously with the setting of the sight-signal, or which may be operated by its own mechanism, separate and distinct from any other.

A further object is to provid'ea trip that will go automaticallyto a position for operating the train mechanism in the event that its'operat ing wires or'rods become accidentally broken o-rtoo loose.

Another object is to provide means for so balancing the trip that its operation will require but a minimum of power, and the object also is to provide a simple, durable and inexpensive device, and to amply protect it from interference by rain, snow and ice.

I accomplish the above and other objects which will hereinafter appeanby the mech anism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1, a top plan VlBW of my trip-mechanismin unset or inoperative position. Fig, '2, is aside'el'evation and vertical section taken on the line- 2-2 of Fig. 1. This View shows the raised position of the, trip in dotted lines. .Fig. 3, is a fragment in side elevation of the mechanism of Fig. 1 in raised position of the trip. Figl, is a plan view of two railroad tracks crossing each other, and showing my invention installed along one ofthe tracks for operation with and bya derailing and signaling mechanism such as is now in common use. Fig. 5, is a side elevation showing the trip in raised positionjaboutto' be contacted by the tripmember of atrain device, and showing the trip operat'ive mechanism correspondingly arranged and partly hid by a protective housing. Fig. 6, i'sa turnbuckle for tighten tin -wire and rods, and :E igv 7 isa plan View of a railway track and switch with my invention so applied as to bemoved by the opening of the switch in position for operat ing the train device.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views of the drawings.

Referring to Fig. 4 ofthedrawings which shows two tracks crossing each other at right angles, 8 are the track rails, and 9 the cross ties of both tracks. Near their crossing is a signal-tower 10 and while the signaling and the train stopping mechanism is duplicated in practice for both tracks, I have only shown it for one of them, but' desire it to be understood. that the same mechanismis applied in practice to both tracks. A derailing mechanism 11 of any suitable construction, such as that now in common use, is operated from the signal-tower by wires 12 and 13 (or rods) actuating through suitably pivoted levers at 14, and said wires are continued to a near-by home signal 15 and thence to a distant signal lb', all of which are of any usual or suitable construction, with which railroads in many States are now requiredby law to be equipped. These, however, are sometimes overlooked by the train-men, and 'should the engineer neglect distant signal my track-device is preferably placed between it and the derailing device far enough from the latter to stop the-train before the train is derailed.

This device comprises ahead 17 resembling a gable-roof in form, one or the other-ofthe two oppositely sloping sides of which will be contacted by a trip 18. carried.

by a passing train when the head is moved into the path of the trip 18. Which one of the sloping sides is contacted with will depend upon the direction of travel of the train and the said sides will be elongated in a direction transversely of the tra cl; to prevent the tra1n-tr1p missing the head be cause Of'VELIltItIODS in pos tion tthe trip by inaccurateoriginal placing or causedby accident or the variable lateral movement or swing of the train. I

The head 17 has a stem-plate .19 that makes a sliding fit between a pair of parallel rigidly-held platesQO, 20. The said Long enough ties ali Selected here to eaten- 1 ilo adjacentsides of a pair of ties2 l and 25.

beyond the rails 8 sufliciently far to support the deviceat the right distance away from said rails. Fillet flanges 26 are preferably formed between the plates 20 and their respective flanges 22 and 23 to brace and strengthen the structure. I

The flange 23 has a journal-box 27 in which a rock-shaft 28 is mounted. This shaft 28 is supported by an additional box 29v bolted to the tie 25, and mounted in a fixed manner,.here shown as splined on the shaft 28 are the two arms 30 and 31. These arms are parallel to eachother and have longitudinal slots 32 near their outer-ends through which pins 33 are passed. The pins 33 have heads to keep the pins from be ing' accidentally withdrawn from the slot and their stems are seated in the respective ends of the plate 19, whereby,by rocking shaft, 28, the plate 19, and consequently its head 17, will be moved, within the limits permitted bygthe guide-plates 20, 20. A seriesof holes 3'4 are provided for corresponding adjustment of the pins 33 in the plate 19 by which adjustment the height to which the head may be raised is regulated.

The outer end of the rock-shaft 28 carries a cross-arm 35 which has end-holes through which connections are so made with the respective wires 12 and 13 that the crossarm is moved to rock the shaft 28 by the pull delivered through said wires.

An arm 36, fixed on the outer end of the shaft 28, has a weight 37 slidingly adjustable on it and retained in a given position by a set-screw 39. By moving the weight the head may be so nearly balanced as to require only a small pull on the wires 12 and 13 to raise it, and preferably still so much overweighted that the weight 37 will automatically raise the head. 17 and hold it in raised position in case of an accidental breaking of the wires. This will insure safety and also call attention to the broken wires.

In the operation of my invention, the'wires 12 and 13 will be actuated by the man in the signal-tower in setting the block signals and the usual safety mechanism, and the move ment of said wiresacting on the cross-arm 35 (to which the wires are attached) rocks the shaft 28 in a direction to raise the head 17 to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5, and in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The

wires12 and 13 are kept taut by-turnbuckles 40. A reverse movement of the controllever by the manat the signal-tower will lower the head 17.

The plate 19 and its guides 20 and the arms 30 and 31 are protected from rain and snow by a sheet metal housing 41, the roof of which has two angular raised portions 42 each terminating with a flange that is securedtoone of the'plates 20. Flange extensions rest upon and are nailed to the lever 48 operated by a manually moved arm 49. Then the switch is open for a train to take it and the train fails to slow down properly my track-device, set at; a suitable distance away, bringsthe train to a stop before it reaches the switch.

My invention may be located on either side of a track outside of the rails or between the rails, and it may be set directly on the ties or elevated, and it may bemodified in so many ways in form and dimensions that I do not desire to be held strictly to theshowing here made, or any more than is required by the appended claims.

I claim 1. In a device for the purposes specified, a

2.-In a device for the purposes specified,

the combination with, a train-device of an elongated gable-shaped head having its gable-end toward the railroadtrack, an extension in the opposite direction from the convergence of the gable, a rock-shaft,

means connecting the shaft and headv exten sion to move the head in and out of the path of the train-device, means for rocking the shaft and adjustable means for varying the projection of the head'into the path of the train-device. v

3. In a device for the purposes specified, the combination with a. train-device of a head with oppositely sloping sides, a head extension, a rock-shaft, arms carried by the shaft, means connecting the head extension with the arms to reciprocatethe head when the shaft is rocked, means comprising an adjustable weight for counterbalancing the head, and means for rocking the shaft.

4. In a device for the purposesspecified, the combination witha train-device, of a head, astem, a rock-shaft, an arm or arms carried by the shaft each arm having a 10m gitudinal slo-t, a pivot pin in the stem pass ing through each arm slot, and manually cate the stem and head whenthe shaft is rocked, manually operative means for rocking the shaft and automatic means for moving the shaft to position in the path of a train-device when the manual means is broken and inoperative.

6. In a device for the purposes specified, the combination with a train-device, of a head, a stem, guides for the stem, a rockshaft, means connecting the rock-shaft with the stem to raise and lower the head in the guides by the rocking of the shaft and adjustable means on the shaft comprising a Weight for counter-balancing the weight of the head and stem, and means for rocking the shaft.

7. In a device for the purposes specified, the combination with a train-device, of a head, a stem, guides for the stem, a rockshaft, one or more arms on the rock'shaft having longitudinal slots, pivot pins carried by the stem and entering the slots in the arms, manually operated means for rocking the shaft, and an arm on the shaft having an adjustable weight thereon to counterbalance the head and stem.

8. In a device for the purposes specified, a headhaving oppositely sloping sides, said sides being at right angles to a railroad track by which the device is placed and said head having undercut recesses under each sloping side, means for guiding the head, means for reciprocating the head on said guides, and a housing under the head to protect the guides and reciprocating means from rain and snow, said housing having an extension entering the undercuts in the head in the retracted position ofthe head.

9. In a device for the purposes specified, the combination with a train-device of a head with oppositely sloping sides, said head being elongated in directions opposite to the slope of its sides, a stem integral with the head, guides receiving the stem with a close moving fit, a rock-shaft, one or more arms on the rock-shaft, means connecting the arms with the stem of the head to reciprocate the stem and head and move the head in and out of the path of the traindevice when the shaft is rocked, adjustable means for varying the projection of the head into the path of the train-device, and

means for rocking the shaft.

Signed at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 10th day of March, 1923.

WILLIAM M. BECK. 

